What can we do for "bums"

[CompSciGuy]

Helping the homeless people in America is a challenging thing… it is easy to give them money as you drive by, but I can’t help but wonder if this is really enough. The common criticism of many homeless people in America is that that many of them don’t want to work. This is true for some and not for others, as some of them are homeless because they are mentally challenged and have noone to take care of them. As far as the former group is concerned my brother and I have tried to provide real help for some homeless/welfare impoverished people, tried to help them find work, drove them to the grocery store, paid them to do odd jobs, etc. but found that they really had no motivation to work themselves and were simply relying on the government and the generosity of friends to get by. They were very manipulative and deceitful people. The thing is, while it is easy to recognize these faults in them, I also recognize that these people probably were never taught virtues like honesty, hard work or other morality. Their parents probably lived exactly the way they do, and they don’t have any good standard to live by. I’d love to help them and show them love but it is hard when you know they are constantly lying to your face and using you for their own personal gain. What do you think can be done for these people? How can we influence them positively to turn themselves around?

 

[Joe_5859]

I really think the best way to help is through charitable organizations set up for that purpose rather than on a sporadic individual basis.

Not to say, of course, that individual help is never warranted. But I think what you are observing is that there is something more systemic going on in their lives. This is better addressed through consistent help from an organization that knows what they’re doing and can better address the roots of the problem.

I’ve had people in my neck of the woods get stabbed to death as a “thank you” for giving random strangers a ride some place. I’m not comfortable putting myself in that type of situation. I try to refer people to the local sources of aid (e.g. Catholic Charities). But most of the time they don’t seem that interested. Of course, some people have even the aid organizations figured out. They’ll go there requesting diapers for needy children and turn around and return them to the store for cash.

It makes it hard not to be cynical. There really are people in genuine need. It’s a shame that the deceptive ones give all those in need a bad wrap.

 

[robwar]

There is a saying “never judge a person until you walk a mile in their moccasins”.
There are probably as many reasons as people out there on why someone is homeless and in the street. The point is that we shouldn’t be assuming the reason but meeting the need. Meeting someone’s needs is not based on whether we think they are worthy or not. The best way to minister to those in this situation is to support those ministries that are directly involved with the homeless such as Capusians etc. From what I’ve read and talked to with others, it is not wise to directly give money to someone in the street but offering food might be ok. Why don’t you serve in a soup kitchen and help out there and learn about the homeless. You bring up a point about work but many of those on the street have mental and learning challenges that would prevent them from holding a job, even if it is simple. Labeling them as lazy doesn’t cut it. Jesus healed and ministered everyone that came to him. Jesus didn’t put a litmus test, He didn’t judge someone as lazy or sinful or if even they believed in Him. We are commanded to do the same.

 

[Deus_tecum]

One also has to be careful they are nor enabling drug addiction when they simply hand money to someone with their hand out. Helping someone buy drugs is not Christian charity. Most people would be surprised by how many homeless are active drug addicts.

 

[Rosebud77]

Advice is always never, ever to give money as it will probably be used for drugs. Drug addicts need candy too.

I knew someone who used to get up early each day, make sandwiches, take them to those on the street and send half an hour chatting to them. Another did the same with flasks of coffee. A human touch. Regular contact kept simple, giving dignity and worth,.and avoiding the them and us approach.

See if they have warm hats etc when the weather gets rough as they have no washing facilities for garments.

And yes, NEVER judge. I almost totally lost it with someone here who dismiss “the homeless” as it all being their won fault except for maybe one or two. He was an upstanding man in his church and community too…

There but for the grace of God truly go we in these hard times.

 

[Nimzovik]

We could re open state Hospitals. Many of the homeless are mentally ill. I saw too many of my former patients on the street. America has now become like the poorest parts of India.

 

[CompSciGuy]

There is a saying “never judge a person until you walk a mile in their moccasins”.
There are probably as many reasons as people out there on why someone is homeless and in the street. The point is that we shouldn’t be assuming the reason but meeting the need. Meeting someone’s needs is not based on whether we think they are worthy or not.

And if you are actively trying to help someone on a one-to-one basis and consistently see this behavior in them… to draw a conclusion is not the same as “assuming” is it? If you read my post I address this. I am saying that I think the problem is that deceit and dependence is all many of these people have ever known. They are as spiritually impoverished as they are monetarily impoverished. My question was how do you help someone like this. Because most acts of kindness are just taken advantage of. It is hard to feel like you’re really helping them no matter what you do.

 

[Jon_S_1]

Helping the homeless people in America is a challenging thing… it is easy to give them money as you drive by, but I can’t help but wonder if this is really enough. The common criticism of many homeless people in America is that that many of them don’t want to work. This is true for some and not for others, as some of them are homeless because they are mentally challenged and have noone to take care of them. As far as the former group is concerned my brother and I have tried to provide real help for some homeless/welfare impoverished people, tried to help them find work, drove them to the grocery store, paid them to do odd jobs, etc. but found that they really had no motivation to work themselves and were simply relying on the government and the generosity of friends to get by. They were very manipulative and deceitful people. The thing is, while it is easy to recognize these faults in them, I also recognize that these people probably were never taught virtues like honesty, hard work or other morality. Their parents probably lived exactly the way they do, and they don’t have any good standard to live by. I’d love to help them and show them love but it is hard when you know they are constantly lying to your face and using you for their own personal gain. What do you think can be done for these people? How can we influence them positively to turn themselves around?

Obviously it’s case by case, but I think acknowledging they exist with a smile or hello, or a brief conversation is key. I then like to identify a need, maybe they need help moving their cart across the road, maybe they need water, maybe food. I try to avoid giving cash because 90% in my area are addicted to drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes. I heard a story once about a guy who was waiting for the bus with a homeless man. After a few minutes the guy started talking to the homeless man, the homeless man then said with all seriousness, " you can see me? I thought I was invisible…"

Check out this video it can give everyone good perspective, as we are all just a couple decisions away from being homeless ourselves.

m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=GThh6bU0-OU&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DGThh6bU0-OU

 

[Mount_Carmel]

Rosebud - You have pretty much hit the nail on the head. As someone who used to work as a volunteer on ‘soup runs’ and in residential and day shelters I agree that the human touch and ‘non-judgmental’ time and effort and support are very important. Even in the UK ‘Welfare State’ there are those amongst us that ‘fall through the net’. Even the ‘druggies’ often have mental issues and traumas in life that made them vulnerable to taking such a path - ‘There but for the grace of God go I’ should be our maxim.

Increasingly we find ex-servicemen taking to a life on the streets, unable to settle back into civilian life after time in the Armed Forces, often after seeing and experiencing horrors during deployments to Iraq and now Afghanistan. I am reminded that more 'Nam veterans commited suicide than were killed by enemy action. In WWII my sainted dad saw the remains of a tall Scottish soldier who had stuck the barrel of a loaded LeEnfield .303 against the roof of his mouth and sqeezed the trigger.

Mental and emotional instability and inability to ‘cope with life’ can and does take many forms, and has many causes, including abuse and other traumatic events - not everyone comes with an adequate mental and emotional ‘tool box’. I give thanks that I had loving and good parents, because I am sure they played a big part in giving me the mental and emotional strength to take on some of the ‘hammer blows’ I have latterly faced in his ‘vale of tears’.

 

[robwar]

One also has to be careful they are nor enabling drug addiction when they simply hand money to someone with their hand out. Helping someone buy drugs is not Christian charity. Most people would be surprised by how many homeless are active drug addicts.

yes, this is what I’ve heard and read. The best thing is to involve oneself and support ministries that directly work and minister to the homeless.

 

[robwar]

And if you are actively trying to help someone on a one-to-one basis and consistently see this behavior in them… to draw a conclusion is not the same as “assuming” is it? If you read my post I address this. I am saying that I think the problem is that deceit and dependence is all many of these people have ever known. They are as spiritually impoverished as they are monetarily impoverished. My question was how do you help someone like this. Because most acts of kindness are just taken advantage of. It is hard to feel like you’re really helping them no matter what you do.

I think if able and motivated, to involve oneself in ministries or orders that directly deal with the homeless. Likewise in direct contact, the basics of a smile, hello or even acknowledgement that they are a human being is always welcome and doesn’t cost you anything.

 

[Jon_S_1]

Helping the homeless people in America is a challenging thing… it is easy to give them money as you drive by, but I can’t help but wonder if this is really enough. The common criticism of many homeless people in America is that that many of them don’t want to work. This is true for some and not for others, as some of them are homeless because they are mentally challenged and have noone to take care of them. As far as the former group is concerned my brother and I have tried to provide real help for some homeless/welfare impoverished people, tried to help them find work, drove them to the grocery store, paid them to do odd jobs, etc. but found that they really had no motivation to work themselves and were simply relying on the government and the generosity of friends to get by. They were very manipulative and deceitful people. The thing is, while it is easy to recognize these faults in them, I also recognize that these people probably were never taught virtues like honesty, hard work or other morality. Their parents probably lived exactly the way they do, and they don’t have any good standard to live by. I’d love to help them and show them love but it is hard when you know they are constantly lying to your face and using you for their own personal gain. What do you think can be done for these people? How can we influence them positively to turn themselves around?

Oh and I think we can start by not calling them “bums”

 

[Mount_Carmel]

Rosebud - You have pretty much hit the nail on the head. As someone who used to work as a volunteer on ‘soup runs’ and in residential and day shelters I agree that the human touch and ‘non-judgmental’ time and effort and support are very important. Even in the UK ‘Welfare State’ there are those amongst us that ‘fall through the net’. Even the ‘druggies’ often have mental issues and traumas in life that made them vulnerable to taking such a path - ‘There but for the grace of God go I’ should be our maxim.

Increasingly we find ex-servicemen taking to a life on the streets, unable to settle back into civilian life after time in the Armed Forces, often after seeing and experiencing horrors during deployments to Iraq and now Afghanistan. I am reminded that more 'Nam veterans committed suicide than were killed by enemy action. In WWII my sainted dad saw the remains of a tall Scottish soldier who had stuck the barrel of a loaded LeEnfield .303 against the roof of his mouth and sqeezed the trigger.

Mental and emotional instability and inability to ‘cope with life’ can and does take many forms, and has many causes, including abuse and other traumatic events - not everyone comes with an adequate mental and emotional ‘tool box’. I give thanks that I had loving and good parents, because I am sure they played a big part in giving me the mental and emotional strength to take on some of the ‘hammer blows’ I have latterly faced in his ‘vale of tears’.

 

[Mount_Carmel]

Oops, duplicated by mistake! Tried to rectify a spelling mistake, but was too late.

 

[robwar]

Oops, duplicated by mistake! Tried to rectify a spelling mistake, but was too late.

 

[peace2u2]

There is a saying “never judge a person until you walk a mile in their moccasins”.
There are probably as many reasons as people out there on why someone is homeless and in the street. The point is that we shouldn’t be assuming the reason but meeting the need. Meeting someone’s needs is not based on whether we think they are worthy or not. The best way to minister to those in this situation is to support those ministries that are directly involved with the homeless such as Capusians etc. From what I’ve read and talked to with others, it is not wise to directly give money to someone in the street but offering food might be ok. Why don’t you serve in a soup kitchen and help out there and learn about the homeless. You bring up a point about work but many of those on the street have mental and learning challenges that would prevent them from holding a job, even if it is simple. Labeling them as lazy doesn’t cut it. Jesus healed and ministered everyone that came to him. Jesus didn’t put a litmus test, He didn’t judge someone as lazy or sinful or if even they believed in Him. We are commanded to do the same.

I recommend the following movie - caution though because it may move your heart to be the hands and feet of Jesus and you may just become a Saint like Mother Teresa.

Movie Trailer, The Human Experience:

youtube.com/watch?v=ctyX5ItSQEI

Its is a moving, powerful movie that explores the human life in 3 different scenarios in 3 very different parts of the world:

1. Living Homeless in NYC
2. The Lost Children of Peru
3. Lepers of Ghana, Africa

 

[robwar]

Oh and I think we can start by not calling them “bums”

 

[Prodigal_Son1]

Oh and I think we can start by not calling them “bums”

That stood out to me too.

 

[tabycat]

One also has to be careful they are nor enabling drug addiction when they simply hand money to someone with their hand out. Helping someone buy drugs is not Christian charity. Most people would be surprised by how many homeless are active drug addicts.

Many are mental ill and ‘self-medaceting’ (sp) with street drugs because of their illness they are unable to get the help they need.
Some homeless have a place to live, but have found that they can make more money by ‘begging’ then getting a job. These are the real bums, NOT the mental ill person who is also drug addicted and homeless.

 

[CHRISTINE77]

Many are mental ill and ‘self-medaceting’ (sp) with street drugs because of their illness they are unable to get the help they need.
Some homeless have a place to live, but have found that they can make more money by ‘begging’ then getting a job. These are the real bums, NOT the mental ill person who is also drug addicted and homeless.

There are all kinds of street people as we call them in the Northwest where I live and work. Some are obviously mentally ill, alcoholic and drug addicted. Some are young kids running around, not even poor, just trouble makers. Some belong to groups like the Rainbow tribe and some are gangs, they steal and beat up other street people.

Portland, Oregon has many homeless shelters, drug programs and food kitchens, and it attracts more and more of these kinds of people because they know they can get a lot of freebies here and won’t get put in jail for vagrancy or anything. They camp out in the middle of downtown, and many aggressively panhandle, ride public trains with their pit bulldogs and generally are very dirty and stinky. Needless to say, I do not have much sympathy, although I am sure there are some who genuinely are lost. The best thing to do is give to your shelters, food banks, St. Vincent de Paul or other charities, if you want to help.